From the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: On 3 Oct 2004, Don J. Billig, volunteer assistant chief of the St. Cloud Fire Department will be honored at the 23rd annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service held at Emmitsburg, MD.
Don Billig, 49, died October 27, 2003, when he was struck by a vehicle after responding to a fire call at a roadside construction site. An 18-year veteran with the department, he was employed by the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud for over 27 years and was a member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 622. His son is also a St. Cloud volunteer firefighter.
The public ceremony will take place at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, constructed in 1981 on the grounds of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. In 1990, Congress designated the Memorial as the official national monument to all fallen firefighters. The memorial service will remember firefighters from 34 states and Guam who died in the line of duty during 2003. Three firefighters who died in previous years will also be remembered. Fire service honor guard units from across the country will participate in the national tribute including three Minnesota units - Eagan Fire Department, Minnesota Fallen Firefighters Memorial Association, and St. Paul Fire Fighters.
The public Memorial Service will begin at 10 a.m. (EDT). Many fire departments across the country will conduct simultaneous services, sound sirens at noon and observe a moment of silence. Public Law requires flags on federal office buildings to fly at half-staff on October 3 in honor of America's fallen firefighters.
The weekend ceremony concludes with the unveiling of plaques listing the names of the fallen firefighters honored this year. Plaques around the monument will now bear the names of the 2,843 firefighters who have died in the line of duty since 1981, including 29 fallen firefighters from Minnesota. The state ranks 28th in the number of fallen firefighters over the past 23 years.
Local cable channels are encouraged to carry the Sunday Memorial Service and the Saturday night Candlelight Service live via satellite. For more details, see the National Fallen Firefighters web site at www.firehero.org and more of this press release at http://216.213.151.12/s1/images/2004_MW_press_release-MN.pdf.
30 Oct 2004: MFFMA will be holding its third annual business meeting on Saturday, 30 October 2004. The day will start with our annual training starting at 09:00, place to be announced. Lunch will be provided by MFFMA and the business meeting will start right after lunch. Hutchinson Fire Department will be hosting this meeting. The meeting will start approximately at 12:30 and, hopefully, be concluded by 14:00 or 15:00.
The Minnesota Fire Service Foundation is launching a $2.5 million fundraising campaign to move the statue to the Capitol grounds and build a spacious, graceful setting to admire, remember and celebrate Minnesota's firefighters. The firefighter memorial will honor those who have lost their lives in the line of duty and recognize the brave firefighters who currently serve.
To learn more about the memorial and how to donate to its completion, visit www.mnfirememorial.org.
From the South Florida Interagency Fire Management Council Web site:
| What: | International Firefighters' Day |
| When: | May 4th - St Florian's Day.
St. Florian (the patron saint of all firefighters) was the first known commander of one firefighting squad in the Roman Empire. He lost his life, as well as those of his colleagues from the brigade, for protecting the same humane ideas which firefighters all over the world share even today. Firefighters in most of the European countries celebrate their day on 4th of May as a Day of Fire Service as well as St. Florian's Day. This date is also known as a St Florian's Day worldwide and has been tradition for more than 150 years in Europe. |
| Reasons: |
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| Symbol: | A piece of red and a piece of blue ribbon pinned together.
Red and blue to represent the elements we work with - fire and water. (These are also recognised internationally as emergency service colours). |
Note: There is a International Firefighters' Day Web site at www.iffd.net.
Section 8 - Repealer. Repeals the law that provides for state reimbursements to local units of government for costs of extending insurance coverage to peace officers and firefighters disabled in the line of duty and their dependents, and to dependents including spouses of peace officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
We are not an experts in law, but this doesn't sound good for benefits it your City has to cover the expense of a Line-of-Duty death. It seems there will also be a wide range of benefits paid depending on if your City can pay or not. MFFMA recommends you contact your Representative and Senator about this bill. If you don't know who your local representative is, contact congress.org to get that information.
28 Feb 02 - Come visit MFFMA at the upcoming Fire-Rescue Schools around the State of MN. We will have a booth at each of the schools.
Minnesota Firefighters Memorial Foundation is sponsoring a fundraiser on January 20, 2002 from 6 to 9 pm at Edinborough Park in Edina. The fundraiser is for relocating the Minnesota Fallen Firefighters Statue from the Mpls/St. Paul International airport to the Capitol grounds. We in MFFMA, support this effort. The Foundation is made up of members from the MSFDA, the MSFCA and the MPFF.
MFFMA article in the Nov/Dec issue of MN Fire Chief